In communications networks, various forms of communication between network entities may be susceptible to third-party attacks. For example, according to one embodiment, a user device may attempt to access services (e.g., a website) from a service provider via a communications network. This access attempt, and/or other communications from the user device, may be intercepted by a third party or a man-in-the-middle (MitM). This third party may act as the intended service provider to gain access to information associated with the user device, such as authentication information (e.g., a username and/or password) for example. If the third party is successful in obtaining authentication information from the user device, the third party may use the authentication information for unintended or malicious purposes. For example, the third party may act as the user device to access services and/or other information from the intended service provider.
In one embodiment, the network communications may be vulnerable to attack, as the communications may not be sufficiently protected and/or may be sent without proper assurance that the network entity to which the communications are being sent is an authentic or intended network entity for receiving the communications. For example, network communications may be implemented using a one-sided authentication protocol, via the transmission of public keys for example, which may leave the network communications vulnerable to third party or MitM attacks.